Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-10-21
BARRYMoRE's NARROW ESCAPE.

bAhh1M OkE'S NARROW ESCAPE.
Sequel to the Murder of Actor Porter in
Texas Years Ago.
[Chicago Tribune]
The severest test 1 was ever sub-
lected to-" said Maurice Barrymore re-
Gently in talking OF emergencies that
prove q mans metal, "was in connec-
ton with the Porter murder case in
Marshall, Texas. do not refer to the
Killing itself, but to one OF the compli-
cations that grew out of it.
The Porter murder will be recalled
by every newspaper, as it created a
great sensation at the time in theatrical
circles all over the country. A New
YORK company was playing "Diplo-
macy" down in Texas, and among the
members were Robert Porter. Minnie
Cummings, and Maurice BARRYMORE.
Those three were together when they
happened to enter the railroad station
in Marshall. They were acoosted bv a
half-drunken rough named Jim Curr;e
VINO fancled that some slight had been
put upon him, and who followed them,
using the vilest language. Barrymore
warned him to stop, but this only in
turlated the fellow, who drew two pis-
tolls and blazed away. Both bullets
took effect, one in the feshy part of
Barrymore's arm. the other breaking the
shoulder blade. The wounded man ran
into neighboring saloon and begged
the bartender to give him revolt
yer to defend himself. The bartender
would not and Barrymore returned to
his companions in time to see Porter on
his knees as if imploring mercy, while
Currie took deliberate aim at his breast
and killed him. A year after Texas
jury set Currie free on the plea of in
sanity.
after travelling thousands of miles
to give testimony at the trial against
the cowardly murderer. said Barry
more, you may fancy what my feelings
We're at the verdict. I expressed N.Y.
self pretty freely in denouncing the
trial as farce, and ascribed the YER
dict to the venialty of the marshal.
Some friends came to me and warned
me to leave town, as might expect to
get riddled by the marshal as soon as
my words were carried to his ears, It
seems that this excellent official was
himself a desperate, and had earned
the respect Of his fellow townsmen by
the number of killings he had to his
credit L assure you had no desire of
provoking quarrel with him and re-
solved to get out of town as soon as
possible.
"That night was sitting on the YER
anda OF the hotel about dusk. and
there were some half dozen of us in
conversation when we saw the marshal
approaching. He was q one-armed man
and wore his revolver exposed in a
belt, as the law permitted him to do.
My companions scented trouble and
got up quietly and walked away in diff
ferent directions. [ sat where I was,
not knowing what else to do. The
marshal, who did not know me bv
sight, passed me and went up to the
hotel clerk, who was behind his desk,
only few steps from me- is Mr..
Barrymore imp heard him ask. The
clerk, with presence of mind which
mentally blessed, replied, No; he left
town this afternoon The marshal was
about to go when a darkey, who was
cleaning spittoons near by, looked up
and said, Oats Mr.. Barrymore out
dere sittin' on de steps, TITS all up, I
thought, and for the second time in my
life cursed fate that I had no weapon.
What was I to do? I couldn't run
away, and yet to remain was death. I
made up my mind to snatch pistol
from his belt when he approached. He
had but one arm and I had two, and
there was an advantage in that. He
came toward me and asked quietly, rs
this Mr.. Barrymore?' Yes said I,
and arose. 1 was sitting three steps
beneath him, and when 1 stood up my
head about reached to his waist AS 1
Strengthened up his hand fell on the
handle Of his revolver, and be drew it.
II have faced danger in life when it
was sudden, and have hardly realized
it till 1t was over, but the mental strain
of that moment was something never
wish to go through again. As he drew
the revolver he handed it to me, handle
foremost, saying: I've brought you
the revolver that Jim Currie shot you
with last year. I thought you might be
curious to see it,
II was stupefed. It was no sudden
revulsion of feeling. The situation had
been too terrible to suddenly become
ridiculous 1 nistrusted him. l took
the pistol and examined it. It was
fully ten minutes before I returned it
to him, convinced that he merely came
to crafty my curiosity and not to make
corpse of me. The fact was he bore
me no ill will at all, as he had not
heard Of the disparaging remarks I
had made about him. I kept him at
the bar drinking with me until it was
time for my train to 60, and then I
shook hands with him and jumped on
board with thankful heart.-Chicago
Tribune.
The Wheat Fields Of Dakota.
First in area comes Texas, then Cali
fornia, and third the Territory of Da-
kota. Dramatically Dakota presents
GREAT diversity. In the northeast and